NOT EVEN THE KING
by MrsSuperman93
Summary: A "what-if" parallel universe for the fandom. In 1995, Victoria finally decides to leave her life at Grayson Manor behind but not without the inevitable consequences. Further complications are presented by The Initiative and the birth of Charlotte.
1. Not Even The King

**Not Even The King**

Conrad Grayson appeared to wither away ten years in a mere ten seconds. **Divorce. **His kingdom threatened to crumble into dust in his hands and now his wife had petitioned for divorce. Their relationship had suffered from neglect, solely his own, as his full attention centred on the Initiative's brewing storm and Victoria had bore the brunt of his frustration. Little could she comprehend how her consistent support had been the very foundation for his self-esteem and faith in himself to resolve the situation at Grayson Global. That old myth had been endlessly proven and Conrad earnestly believed; behind every great man, there was a great woman. Gone, was his fear of a mid-life crisis mistake. His decision to leave his first wife for Victoria had never been one Conrad second-guessed – until this moment.

"You can't be serious." His voice lowered to a husky whisper and Conrad surveyed the primary document. "Is this some kind of a joke? Because, if so, you have a very twisted sense of humour, my dear."

She fearfully held her steady position. "I'm afraid not, Conrad." The paper documents proved as much, and Victoria focused her line of vision on an invisible dot on the wall behind her husband. "As stated, my only request is full custody of Daniel. I'll even inform my lawyer to revoke the pre-nuptial agreement." Her aspirations had drastically transformed, an ode to the effortless effect David had on her life, and money seemed of little consequence since the _purest_ form of love had finally snaked its way into her heart, in the most unexpected of ways, nonetheless.

If it didn't cast such surprise, Conrad may have found the humour in her prospects for the future. "And where, pray tell, do you expect to find the funds to pay for such a prominent law firm?" The company name on the header of the document hadn't evaded Conrad, in his shock, and his mind started to reel with questions. While his wife's affection for him may have reached its limit, her attraction to wealth and all it offered still burned on. The kind of lifestyle Victoria luxuriated in did not pay for itself and, if she didn't require the Grayson money, it inevitably meant another man had entered the picture. The condemned look in her eyes confirmed as much and Conrad inched in closer for _that_ force of intimidation. "Well, it appears you've outdone yourself." He had foolishly worked himself into a frenzy to protect the safety and interest of his wife and son from outsiders, only for Victoria to shatter his victory by separation. Bitterness clouded his common-sense, and Conrad reversed his mind back in time to the unbearable grief of their first lost child. Only now could he finally piece the puzzle and accept Victoria had played on his weakness of children and cemented her position as the lady of Grayson Manor and partner in Grayson Global. The priceless pieces of art, the exquisite properties in the most exotic locations, the prominence of the Grayson name had been her aim and Conrad had naively deemed her heart too pure to cruelly manipulate him in such a way, his vision unable to bypass the colourful beauty the mysterious woman had once, and still, possessed. "Which fools heart have you conned your way into this time, Miss Harper?" Her confession had created an utter look of disdain, which ripped away the sparkle in his sapphire eyes and Victoria flinched under the stare of hatred.

"Contrary to your belief, Conrad, money is not the motivation behind my decision." A shadow of shame had always been casted in Victoria's heart, at how easily her future and the future of her children had been founded on her decision to live a lie for the Grayson name, but David Clarke had provided her with a second chance to rectify her mistakes and Victoria knew better than to pass on it.

An acidic chuckle escaped his throat and Conrad firmly balanced his form on the back of the chair behind his desk. "No, of course not." He unveiled his safe, hidden behind the portrait Victoria had presented him with on their first anniversary, and selected a brown envelope. "Open it." Conrad demanded, as he slammed the envelope onto the desk in front of his wife. Slowly, after a moment of hesitation, Victoria reached for it and revealed several pictures taken from afar of herself and David on the beach; their most intimate moments had been invaded by Conrad's hired eyes. Her stomach turned, horrified by the blatant distrust Conrad held in her loyalty to him, even if his suspicion had been well-earned. Conrad had been so deeply involved in the murky waters of Grayson Global, and whatever latest crisis it had encountered, that the art of discretion would have been lost on her husband anyway, so naively, Victoria had barely bothered to conceal her infidelity with David.

"I'm sorry, Conrad." It was just about all Victoria could verbally muster. The backlash Conrad had inflicted not only proved his infuriation, but the fear Victoria had hidden for so many years; all she had ever been to this man before her was a possession, and the only one to blame was herself. If she hadn't cruelly manipulated Conrad into his proposal, on the empty promise of a child, their hearts may not have darkened in the misery they had drowned themselves in.

He relocked his safe and shook his head. "I'm the one who should be sorry, Victoria." The sincerity in his words didn't feel perfectly genuine and Victoria sorely anticipated more malice ahead. "Sorry I walked into that art gallery and let you sink your vicious hooks into me the day we met. Sorry I divorced my wife and deserted my family to marry an unsophisticated, callow little bitch like you." Despite his below-the-belt blows, Victoria held her head and silently assured herself that, if she had to withstand Conrad's venom in order to receive full custody of her son, it would be worth it. While Conrad had viciously utilised her sins for ammunition, David had shown her endless absolution. "The day we married, I could practically see the dollar signs reflect in your eyes. So, tell me, Victoria. What makes David Clarke so special? What is it about the man that you would freely leave all of this, and more, firmly in the past?" A mere hedge fund executive at Grayson Global had no match on Conrad's position in the company, nor the kind of wealth his position allowed him but as Victoria instinctively swept her hand to her stomach, the truth couldn't have been more obvious had it knocked Conrad out. "Ah, I should have known. The oldest trick in the book. If a man like I can fall for it, surely someone as fickle as David Clarke can."

Her hand brushed the raven wisps of hair from her face and Victoria firmly held her position. "I didn't need to trick David. He knows how I feel for him."

An ache curdled in Conrad's heart; aside from the day they had married, Victoria had never professed her love for him with such fearlessness. The voice of his father echoed in his mind and his old piece of advice to know when to cut his losses provoked Conrad to nonchalantly roll his shoulders. "In that case, he deserves whatever misfortune your presence in his life presents him with." Conrad's hand snatched the petition for divorce from the desk and quickly scanned over it. "It looks fair. I'll have my lawyer make the necessary adjustments and we'll shortly be in touch." Relief breezed over Victoria as Conrad accepted her request for a divorce; if she had known the separation would have been such a clean split, she may not have wavered over the decision so hard. His eyes pierced her skin and Victoria noticed her opportune moment to make her escape from Grayson Manor and inform David of the joyous news. "Victoria." His soon to be ex-wife prepared to leave his home-office but looked back over her shoulder; her colour had soon returned and the captured look in her eyes was a distant memory. "There is one adjustment you can count on. I'm more than happy to let you run off with the man who _finally_ understands you and loves even the blackest corner of your heart but don't think, for one second, that I'll allow you to walk out of here with Daniel." A wave of satisfaction broke in the midst of Conrad's desperation to regain some kind of control over the situation and Victoria's face fell, as if the land had broken underneath her. "I've already lost one family, at your hands, and I'll be damned if I let you rip my son away from me."

Tears jeopardized her resolve and Victoria hardened her tone of voice in an attempt to maintain her composure. "I am Daniel's mother." A recent picture of Daniel affectionately smiled back at her from the cabinet behind Conrad's desk and the emotion overwhelmed Victoria. His dark chocolate eyes and childish charm melted her heart; life without him in it didn't seem like life at all.

"And I am his father but you find it perfectly acceptable to take him from me!" His infuriation overwhelmed him with a more prominent intensity than he could have anticipated. "Did you really think I would allow you to walk out of here and raise my son with another man?" The desperation carelessly radiated from her eyes but Conrad refused to acknowledge her pleas; she had made her own bed, now she could die of a broken heart in it, for all he cared. "Daniel will remain here with me at Grayson Manor until the summer reaches its end and, in September, he and I will return home in time for the new semester."

"Conrad." When it came to her children, she wasn't too proud to plead and drop to her knees, yet she refrained from such an act as she knew it would make no impact on his decision.

Her husband raised his hand to silence her vulnerable desperation. "I assume you've packed your belongings." As if on cue, one of the staff silently travelled down the stairs and discarded Victoria's suitcase in the foyer for her imminent departure and Conrad nodded his head. The size of the suitcase presumed Victoria had planned a two-week vacation but Conrad's heavy heart knew her absence would prevail for the many months and years ahead. Forever, her shadow would cast torment for him as every corner of Grayson Manor had already captured her reigning smile and her infectious laugh. No doubt, the divorce would trouble Daniel but he had the consolation that Victoria would not be forever lost to him, unlike Conrad. This cruel moment of one-upmanship would be their final farewell. His voice held firm, "Leave."

Conrad dismissed her presence and poured himself a drink from the mini-bar to soothe his ailment. While custody of Daniel remained unsolved, Victoria found no other option but to accept the abrupt conclusion to the conversation and let the finality of their union play out back-and-forth between their overpaid lawyers, and inevitably court. She affectionately admired her summer home, for what would most likely be her last welcome presence inside it, and followed the driver out to the limo where her suitcases were loaded into the trunk. The five-minute drive to David's felt more like five-hours' worth, as her fears and confusion conflicted in her head. Upon her arrival, Victoria silently climbed from the backseat and strolled around the side of the house and closed her eyes softly as the specks of sand started to fill her shoes. On the porch, David patiently waited for her body to fill his open offer of an embrace and Victoria happily buried her face into the crook of his shoulder in a childlike manner.

No more than one-hundred feet away from them, Conrad positioned himself in the spot Victoria had stood so often. The sad pretence he had forced himself to have faith in had been completely shattered; all the times he had convinced himself that the fact his wife's favourite spot overlooked the Clarke's summer residence was a mere coincidence was now in vain. A bottle of Scotch filled his left palm and Conrad refilled his tumbler with a determination, thankful that Daniel remained at his annual summer camp for another week. For the moment Conrad would be forced to explain how his mother had fled from their family home would undoubtedly cripple Conrad's heart almost as much as it did to see Victoria find comfort in another man's arms. Despair suffocated him as the realisation became painstakingly obvious; Victoria had found the kind of love they had dreamt of in childhood fairy-tales. The kind of love that not even the king of the Grayson fortune could afford.


	2. She Just Isn't Worth It

**"She Just Isn't Worth It."**

Amanda Clarke hadn't often been a witness to true sadness. Not the real kind, which made itself known so relentlessly in the atmosphere, so much so that you couldn't escape it. The only time Amanda had seen her father cry real tears was shortly after her mother's death, and she had cried with him. From this experience, Amanda assumed a dose of love and affection could cure any ailment but her father's new _friend_ seemed to prove her theory incorrect. Since her arrival, the dark-haired woman had done no more than assume a docile position on the front porch and look out upon the ocean, yet Amanda had astutely noticed how often her eyes would divert to the over-sized castle in the distance.

Her father had temporarily left to complete an unknown errand, which left Amanda alone with the woman her father referred to as Victoria. An unseasonal chilly breeze attacked from the east and Amanda's attention deflected from her most recent art project to the lady on the porch. After a moment's consideration, Amanda expertly prepared a warm drink in her father's favourite teapot and carefully carried it out. "Would you like some tea?" She quietly set the tray down, and cheekily pinched one of the biscuits from the plateful.

"No, thank you." The child was only a few months older than Daniel, and a sore reminder of her son.

Not dissuaded by her closed-off remark, Amanda maturely poured herself a cup of tea and watched in fascination as the daintiest droplet of milk could transform its colour tones. "You look very sad." Her father hadn't completely explained why Victoria had suddenly come to live with them, and Amanda wondered why Victoria's son hadn't come as well. At a celebratory company picnic for Grayson Global, Amanda had accompanied her father and been hastily introduced to Victoria's son, Daniel. Their interaction had been brief, but Amanda had shrewdly noticed how attached Daniel had been to his mother in fear of the various unknown faces which surrounded him. A wave of empathy flooded Amanda's heart, as she wondered why mother and son weren't united anymore, and recalled how confused and lost she had felt upon her own mother's abrupt disappearance. "Do you miss your son?"

A small smile momentarily flickered on Victoria's lips; she hadn't believed David when he professed just how intuitively Amanda could comprehend emotions of others. "Yes, I do." Daniel had returned home from summer camp but security at Grayson Manor had enforced Conrad's instruction that Victoria not be permitted to communicate with their son.

Amanda softly enclosed her hands around the heart locket, which her father had presented to her on her first birthday after her mother's death. If she ever encountered a moment when her mother's presence needed to be felt, Amanda could open the locket and find the picture of her mother's smile to warm her heart and soothe her worries. "My dad says, when I miss my mom, I should close my eyes and remember all the happy times we spent with her and always know she's with me in spirit. I'm sure Daniel would want you to be happy, even if it means you can't be with him." Despite Amanda's confidence in her supportive statement, Victoria doubted it very much. She had become acquainted with Conrad's manipulative ways too well, and she could just hear him with his faithless whispers in Daniel's ears as he alienated her son from the only mother he had ever known. Unable to voice her fears to a small child, who couldn't possibly comprehend the likes of Conrad, despite her mature mind, Victoria didn't say a word and continued to stare at the manor she had once called home. Her heart fluttered somewhat as an adult shadow appeared and Amanda excitedly leapt from the porch seat and jumped into her father's arms, in a way only a child could to their father; in a way Daniel often had done to Conrad. "Daddy, you're home!"

"Hi, sweetheart." David planted a kiss on Amanda's cheek and lowered her back to her feet. Happiness faded from his eyes and concern took residence when he looked over at Victoria, who couldn't even muster the heart to greet him upon his early return. "Take yourself inside for a moment, Amanda. I need to speak with Victoria privately." She dutifully wandered inside and returned to her previous art project and David filled Amanda's warmed spot beside Victoria. "Conrad fired me. Well, his snotty-nosed assistant was the one to do the deed. I hear Conrad hasn't made an appearance in the office in days, but his assistant, Carole Miller, assured me that Daniel's well. She personally delivered documents to Grayson Manor just yesterday afternoon and she said he seemed happy." When David really contemplated his words of comfort, he realised how little comfort they must have held for Victoria. Her days, since her active decision to leave Conrad, had consisted of barely three coherent sentences and reluctant nods whenever it suited. She pined for Daniel, but the lawyers had explained that custody couldn't be decided until further into the divorce case and, since Conrad is named the father on the birth certificate, they had no reason to demand Daniel be removed from his care. "She also informed me that Conrad has several appointments in Manhattan next week, most likely with his lawyers, and Conrad requested Carole mind Daniel for those few hours. It would appear he doesn't trust many of his employees, but Carole he does." Much to David's severe disappointment, Victoria failed to show any enthusiasm but David leaned in closer and tenderly directed her to look at him. "She'll be at Grayson Manor with Daniel, and I convinced her to let you see him for a few hours while Conrad's out of town."

Those words seemed to breathe life back into Victoria and she exhaled with relief. "Thank you, David."

His mind eased, as colour seemed to flood back into her cheeks in anticipation of just a mere moment with Daniel. "You're welcome. She promised to call the second Conrad leaves for Manhattan and she'll be advised when he's expected to return so there's no risk of a nasty confrontation." His hand instinctively rubbed her back, "I'd be happy to accompany you, and Amanda too, if you need us there?"

Victoria shook her head; she had yet to discover the mist of confusion Conrad had shoved Daniel in, or what insinuations he had planted in her son's head but she didn't want to risk further turbulence by David's presence. "Thank you, but I need to see him by myself. Who knows what Conrad's told him, at this point. I don't want to upset him unnecessarily."

"I understand." David squeezed her hand, and smiled in assurance. "So, how did you and Amanda spend your afternoon?"

Both adults peered over their shoulders and watched Amanda colour in her picture with an intense focus. "I'm afraid I haven't been much source of entertainment." Beforehand, the initial introduction and the opinion Amanda held of her had been of such importance to Victoria, but the recent trivia of Daniel's custody had acquired her full attention and Amanda had been side-lined. "I'm sorry I haven't made more of an effort." She dreaded to ponder just how much confusion Amanda suffered from; presumably almost as much as Daniel must feel without his mother to welcome him home.

"She knows you have a lot on your mind." David could never lack faith in Amanda's empathy for everyone and anyone, which was exactly why he didn't fear her reaction to Victoria. While Amanda had yet to fully fathom his involvement with Victoria, he didn't doubt Amanda's ability to accept the first relationship since Kara's death, and perhaps a second mother. "Besides, you have more to worry about than Amanda." One arm curled around her back while his other hand rested on her flat stomach, which held a miraculous promise for the future. "You, my love, now have more than one mouth to feed. Well, technically it's still one mouth –" David corrected himself, and Victoria smiled. "But, the point is, once I reinstate myself back on Wall Street and find an employer who can overlook Conrad's animosity toward me, you and Amanda will only have each other for company. However, I refuse to do so until I know you can take care of yourself."

Her hand rested on his, Victoria forced her bravest of expressions. "Once I've seen Daniel, for myself, I'll be back to normal, I promise." After years of minimal protection, Victoria had expertly learnt how to fend for herself but her walls had crumbled to such a point that David had little faith in her ability to function without him.

"Daddy, can we take Sammy for a walk on the beach?" Amanda bounded onto the porch and produced Sammy, who affectionately licked her cheek.

"We sure can. You run ahead, I'll catch up with you, okay?" Amanda raced off onto the sand and Sammy playfully scrambled after her. David leaned in and kissed Victoria delicately on the lips. "Eventually, you and I will have to sit down and tell her about us." He warned with caution, "And the baby." The intuition Amanda possessed unnerved David at the best of times but behind her adult nature, his nine year old child remained and how she may react to whole new family was one reaction he couldn't predict. A small smile and nod of the head came from Victoria and David's hand softly caressed her cheek before he rushed after Amanda and Sammy, unaware of Conrad's intrusive eyes upon them. They distanced themselves from his beach-house and David stretched his arm out to reel Amanda in, his hand able to feel the thickness of the blonde curls she had inherited from Kara. "Hey, kid. Slow down." Reluctantly, Amanda slowed her pace and David inhaled. "So, how do you like Victoria?" Overly-occupied with Victoria and her depression over Daniel, David hadn't bothered to question Amanda about how she felt.

Amanda awkwardly nodded her head, "She's nice, dad." Always one to explore the beach, Sammy scurried on ahead and Amanda checked over her shoulder to ensure they were truly alone in the conversation. Raven strands of hair disappeared behind the curtains which decorated the doorway and Amanda bowed her head to the sand, "But she doesn't seem very happy here with us."

That much, David couldn't be in denial of. In the five years David had known Victoria, she had fervently warned him of the darkness her heart contained and, while David had dismissed her fears, the potential loss of Daniel had provoked a monster much darker and colder than just a distraught mother. Her unbearable silence and distant stares had caused David to wonder if Victoria despised him for how forcefully he pushed her to make their affair public. "Well, you know, adults can be sad too sometimes. We just need to do all we can to make her happy." It was a lot to ask, especially since Amanda didn't know the woman very well. "Do you think you can do that, kid?" A confident nod came from Amanda and David's face relaxed into a smile as he patted her head. "Good."

"Well, well, well…" The husky voice of his former employer broke the family scene and David pulled Amanda closer on instinct. "Hello, Miss Clarke. How are you today?"

Her father's body had tensed, his arm clamped around her, but Amanda freed herself and politely smiled. "I'm very well, thank you. How are you?" The older man nodded his head from side to side in response, more interested in the reaction his presence caused David, than what manners Amanda Clarke had been raised with.

"Sweetheart, would you take Sammy back inside, please?" David didn't allow Conrad another opportunity to strike conversation with Amanda and offered Sammy's lead. All it took was _that_ one look from her father and Amanda knew better than to tackle his instruction; she whistled to Sammy and raced back to the beach-house. "I don't find it appropriate for you to approach my daughter." His words were delivered with about all the respect he could muster for the man, after the hideous tales Victoria had recited to him as she reluctantly detailed her life before his entrance to it.

A crippled chuckle left Conrad's lips but his lips soon thinned into a scowl. "If you really believed in appropriateness, Mr Clarke, my wife wouldn't be stricken with your child; she would be home with our son." He motioned behind David's back, where Amanda could still be seen on her slow return. "She may not understand it yet, but how do you think she'll feel when she discovers her father moved on with a married woman before her mother's body was even cold?" The fact that Kara had died nearly six years beforehand didn't matter, and the way David's face fell confirmed this for Conrad. It was the only knife Conrad had available to twist and prod the man which had ripped his wife away from him, and he would feverishly do so. "As for Daniel, he'll never look at his mother with the same love and affection as he did before, and it won't be because of my interference. She'll feel it herself, just as she introduces him to her newest priority in her life." Daniel's reaction to his mother's condition was one Conrad wildly anticipated, if only to witness the backlash of strain it forced on the relationship between mother and son. After years of her overprotectiveness, and his clear fondness for his mother instead of him, Conrad savoured the opportunity to reclaim his son as a Grayson. "You see, Mr Clarke, you may have my wife to warm your bed but I have a much more powerful source of satisfaction. One day, you'll wake up from whatever spell she has you under and you'll realise your decision to run away with my wife is the root of all the turbulence in your life and then you'll remember the words I tell you next; she just isn't worth it."


	3. The Lost Prince

**The Lost Prince**

No sooner had his father left for Manhattan, had his mother raced in. Daniel squirmed in discomfort as his mother locked him in an awkward embrace; her body crushed his and her near waist-length strands of hair had somehow floated into his mouth. It seemed like nearly five minutes before his mother tipped her head back and looked him in the eyes. "Hello, sweetheart."

While he couldn't disguise his initial happiness of her return, Daniel played down his smile. It had been a week since his return home from summer camp and his mother had been nowhere to be found, and Daniel was not in the mood to easily forgive her his disappointment. Her unexplained absence baffled Daniel, since his father had promised to explain it on that far-off occasion of "someday" and Daniel prepared himself for the worst, but now his mother had returned unharmed. "Dad said I wouldn't see you. He said you refused to come home with him."

Victoria avoided the subtle question, and nodded her head at Carole, who respectfully bowed away from the foyer and made herself scarce. "Well, I decided to surprise you both." She brushed off the topic of Conrad and carefully removed the wisps of hair from Daniel's eyes. "Do you know how much I've missed you?" If ever she had to leave him, for whatever reason, this had always been the first in line of their conversation and Victoria didn't hide her sadness when Daniel didn't stretch his arms out as far as he possibly could. "I can't wait to hear all about summer camp." Every other year, Victoria had cursed the very idea; when Daniel left for the summer months, it meant she and Conrad were alone. This time around, Daniel's absence had probably been for the best. Her son weakly nodded his head and Victoria doubted her decision to see Daniel on her own. The wind mercilessly howled, the start of the Hamptons' annually predicted summer storm, and Victoria straightened her back from her knelt position. "It would appear you came home just before the weather turned. You must've missed home while you were away, Daniel."

"Kind of." Daniel nonchalantly replied, and wandered into the kitchen.

The emotional distance her son purposely created forced Victoria to be more wary and alert to Conrad's manipulation; Conrad must have implied more than _just_ her refusal to return home. "Sweetheart, has your father explained why I couldn't be here when you returned from camp?" She followed him into the kitchen and Daniel softly shook his head. "Daniel." Her hands directed his face to look her dead in the eyes, but his eyes were deadened by the realities of life and he looked more a condemned man, than her nine year old son. Even if Conrad hadn't told him, Daniel already knew what he needed to. His family had fallen to pieces, right before his eyes, despite Victoria's desperate attempts to protect him from such horrors. "Daniel, it's imperative you understand that you are not to blame."

"Dad said you'll be divorced by Christmas. Does that mean we won't spend it as a family?" Anyone who knew Daniel, knew just how much he adored the holidays. The festivities and worldwide excitement seemed to make it _that_ much sweeter and Daniel was the kind of selfless soul, who could only enjoy himself if he knew others were happy too.

Heartbreak, and disappointment, clouded Daniel's eyes and Victoria could see the effort Daniel exercised not to reveal his sadness. She solemnly shook her head. "I'm afraid so."

"Dad said you'll have a new baby soon. He said you'll have a new family to look after and –" Daniel couldn't bear to fully repeat his father's words, especially when confronted by the look of fury in his mother's eyes. Inwardly, Victoria cursed herself for how stupidly she had revealed her unborn child to Conrad; she should've known better than to think Conrad wouldn't exploit any weapon to break the powerful bond she and Daniel shared. Daniel bowed his head, his attempt to handle the situation with maturity only made him appear more childlike. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister."

His words weren't in celebration of the expected arrival, more a sombre acknowledgement of the future which lay ahead. "I know you have, sweetheart." The loss and confusion remained evident in his eyes and Victoria forcefully pulled him closer to her once more, yet the closer she reeled him in, the more emotional distance appeared between them. "Daniel. I need you to really listen to what I'm about to tell you. Can you do that for me?" Reluctantly, Daniel nodded his head and remained still. An innate silence filled the room as Victoria pondered how she could possibly explain the kind of agony she had suffered married to his father and the kind of lifelessness her every breath held until she met another man, another man who wasn't his father. Her mind furiously shook, her speechlessness had lasted for several moments and Daniel had started to lose faith in whatever promises lay ahead. "There's very little your father and I could ever hide from you. You would always outsmart us." Whenever his birthday or Christmas approached, Daniel had actively sought out his presents and Victoria battled to find a new location to keep them hidden. "And, like any married couple, we've had our problems and, while we've done all we can to come to a mutual resolution, your father and I have decided the best thing for you, and for ourselves, is to separate. Unfortunately, I'll have to live elsewhere from now on –"

"With the man who lives next door?" Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat.

Taken aback, by the depth of his knowledge, Victoria's head slowly recoiled backward. "Yes. He's a very dear friend of mine and, someday soon, you'll be able to meet him."

"I don't want to meet him." All his father predicted had somehow come true. His father had warned him of how his mother would manoeuvre him away from his real family, only to rip him away from the only home he had ever known. Not that Conrad's words would have been necessary; Daniel had already started to bubble over with resentment for the people who tore his mother away from him.

"Daniel," his mother scowled. The rudeness, and the volume, in his voice had caused Carole to poke her head around the corner of the doorway with concern. The kind of risk she had taken, based on the neutral friendship she shared with David, wasn't a risk which would pay off. The woman had risked her job as Conrad's secretary to help them and now it all appeared to already be a lost battle.

"I don't want to meet him." He repeated, with more conviction than before. "And I never want to see you again!"

With a powerful shove, Daniel knocked his mother off-balance and escaped her clutches. Instantly, Carole offered out her hand to help Victoria from the floor as Daniel hustled off to the safety of his bedroom. The slam of the door seemed to shake through the entire manor and Carole's lips awkwardly twitched, as Victoria brushed herself off. "Boys." Carole rolled her eyes; she hoped to do her best to rectify the pain of rejection in the woman's eyes. "My mother always warned me they were trouble. My nephew has quite the temper on him. Of course, Nolan's much older than Daniel, so he's learnt to accustom his reaction a little better but he's still prone to the odd temper tantrum." The pity in her eyes became too much to bear and Victoria started to frown. "Would you like me to call David?"

"I don't think that'll be necessary, Carole." His voice caused chills to run up and down both women's spines, and Conrad smirked eerily at Victoria. "How little you know me, after God knows how many years of sweet marital _bliss_." The sarcasm coloured his words and he looked toward his secretary with steely eyes, but an opposing smile. "Thank you, Carole, for your assistance this afternoon. I'm sure your efforts will be more appreciated back in the office, so why don't you make your way back there?" The blonde hastily withdrew from the confrontation, and avoided Victoria's soulful eyes, which watched her leave as if she were the final lifejacket aboard the Titanic. "If you're wondering why I'm not in Manhattan, take-off was suspended due to the incoming storm. Not that I would have really been on-board, for you, my dear, are far too predictable for your own good. I knew you'd run on over here the second you found out Daniel would be unsupervised."

"And yet, you let it happen." She surmised, her hands curled into fists and retracted as her husband started to circle her like a vulture would his deceased prey.

"Because you needed to hear it for yourself. You needed to hear it from Daniel; he has no interest in you, nor the family you plan to make with David Clarke and his sickly-sweet little girl." The animosity became vivid in her eyes and Conrad scoffed. "Oh, come on, Victoria. You're a little old for fairy-tales, aren't you? You must have known this could only end badly, _for you_." He casually wandered into the kitchen and reached for a bottle of still water; proud to feel her eyes upon him in disbelief. "You're quite the actress, you've played Rapunzel mercilessly locked away in the tower well enough for the fool to fall for your act. Go ahead. You may as well reap the reward, little as it may be because, one day soon, it'll all come to an end. He'll see you for what you really are and, when it all turns pear-shaped, don't think you can turn on your heels and climb back into my bed. You're not welcome here and neither is that little bastard inside of you." She swallowed the knife in her throat, almost as painful as she knife which Conrad carved her heart out with his eyes. "You chose his bed, Victoria. Now, you can lie in it." He revelled in the satisfaction of another battle conquered, "Get out." She pivoted on her heels and fled from Grayson Manor at full speed. Conrad remained satisfied at his ability to outsmart their more-than-predictable move on Daniel, and felt confident that he knew Victoria well enough to remain wary of her attempts to out-manoeuvre him. He had witnessed her brilliance up close and very personal, but David Clarke had stripped him off the honour of Victoria's jester and Conrad was more than happy to pass on the position. Her _love_ for him may well have been real, but it had never been pure like it was for David. It ached him to know such a fact.

"Daddy?" The voice of their son, the only thing he and Victoria had successfully accomplished, broke his solidarity and Conrad noticed the little boy halfway on the stairs.

"Come down, son." A shake of Daniel's head refused Conrad's request and he climbed the few stairs to him, positioned just a few below his son to reach a similar height. "I'm sorry if your mother scared you. I did warn you, she'd come and try to take you away from your home." The little boy refused eye contact, his head rested on his arms which were folded in front of him. "What did she say?"

"That you've decided to separate and it's not my fault." Daniel blankly answered. Still, his parents' separation felt surreal, yet the foreshadowing couldn't have been clearer if it had made an effort. His parents' hadn't been _normal_ with one another for some time and Daniel had to stretch his memory to revisit the last happy, family moment they shared. The endless silent family dinners, the raised, and hushed, voices and the separate days out with both his father and mother had been prominent clues. The real confirmation had been the disastrous party his mother had hosted for his grandparents' 47th anniversary and the horrific aftermath Daniel had endured. After far too much hospitality, perched on a bar stool, his father had deserted the house with a less than discrete slam of the door and Daniel had discovered his mother in a fit of hysterical tears; it had been the first time Daniel had ever seen his mother cry.

"Well, your mother and I can agree on that much. None of this is your fault, Daniel." Conrad patted Daniel's back in a masculine show of empathy and comfort, a reflection of what his father had rarely shown him. "In fact, if it weren't for you, we probably wouldn't have worked so hard at our relationship for so many years. I'm sorry we couldn't make it work, for you. Truly, I am." His hopes of a future with Victoria had included decades of happiness and the pitter-patter of baby feet. Life hadn't presented Conrad with such luck, nor did Conrad appreciate the option of a life alone while Victoria raised his son with another man.

"What happens now?" Daniel asked.

"Now, we wait." His father instructed, as they each picked a blank spot ahead of them. "Your mother won't let you go so easily. She's determined to keep both you and that child she's been –" Conrad paused, and held his tongue. "_Blessed_ with. Her next logical step will be to the lawyers but I'm already prepared for that. If it reaches court, which I presume it will, the judge's decision will vary on your testimony, Daniel." He curled his head and looked his son in the eyes. "You see, when there's a custody battle, sometimes, the judge will take the child's wishes into consideration. All you need to do, is tell the court that you wish to stay here with me." Hesitation expressed itself fearlessly in Daniel's eyes and Conrad smiled softly, "You'll be free to see your mother whenever you want, and the baby, whenever he or she should arrive."

"I don't want to. I don't want to see the baby and I don't want to see mom." Daniel defiantly snapped, his resentment evident. "I want to stay with you, dad. Promise me, I can?"

Conrad smiled, relieved. "I promise."


	4. For The Best

**For The Best**

The courtroom slowly emptied of its occupants, but David remained seated just behind Ryan Huntley and Victoria. Another defeat, as Conrad became awarded temporary custody of Daniel. While Ryan had previously warned them of such likelihood, David still knew how crushed Victoria would be by the loss. Almost three weeks had passed since Daniel's rejection, and she hadn't been in receipt of any visitation since then, purely because Daniel had refused to see his mother and, no doubt, Conrad had approved of such a decision.

"Well, my dear, your loss." Cockiness oozed from Conrad, the same corrupted smirk upon his face remained since his entrance into the courtroom. His wife barely rotated her head, fully aware of just how friendly Conrad had become with Judge Stephen Franklin, the man linked to their divorce and custody trial.

His insensitivity repulsed David, who moved forward and placed his hand upon Victoria's. The discomfort in the atmosphere became intense and Ryan clicked his briefcase in. "Mr Grayson, I'm sure your lawyer made you aware of just how crucial it is that you do not engage in any direct contact with my client throughout the trial, if only for your own peace of mind." He nodded silently at David, "If you'll excuse me, I'm already late for an appointment but I'll call you in the week, we can prepare for the trial." His hand carefully reached for Victoria's shoulder to ensure her attention focused on his reassurances. "Like I said, this is _only_ the preliminary trial and has no real effect on the permanent outcome." He smiled kindly, as if to restore their faith.

A small scoff escaped Conrad's lips, as the lawyer made his exit, and David handed Victoria her purse, in preparation to leave the courtroom. "I wouldn't let him instil such confidence, if I were you." It was unspoken but, from the second they entered the courtroom, both David and Victoria knew how mediocre Ryan Huntley's skills were in comparison to Conrad's legal team. Pure friendship had caused David to request Ryan accept Victoria's case and, in their misfortune, this counted as his second child custody case and, frankly, his inexperience concerned Victoria. "Oh, well… if he fluffs the trial, at least Daniel will have his wish granted. Minimal visitation with the mother who abandoned him for the man next door and his bastard; this is such a waste of money, time and effort because the second Daniel informs the judge of his choice, your argument will be thrown out the window." His eyebrow rose in amusement, as Victoria's eyes finally met his. "If you will draw out this insensitive and pointless competition."

The wooden chair scraped backwards and Victoria stormed from the courtroom, her fury bubbled inside her stomach and David followed quickly behind. A wave of inferior crews from local and national news stations clicked away at their cameras but they bustled past the intrusion and climbed into David's car parked nearby. Her silence indicated her desire to flee and David started the fifteen-mile journey home to his beach-house. The continuation of dead air reached until David switched off the engine and Victoria hopped out of the Porsche to disappear inside. A bubble of air escaped his lips, a small sigh; his tongue had been bitten bitterly in attempt not to suggest that perhaps it would be in Daniel's best interest to allow him to stay with Conrad, if only for familiarity sakes. However, such an idea would surely be resented, which left David with a uselessness and inability to contribute as Victoria floundered in attempts to keep her son close. He finally climbed from the car and followed Victoria inside, where she paced vehemently back and forth. Like a volcano which threatened to erupt, she appeared ready to burst and empty her deadly lava onto whichever unlucky innocent happened to be in the vicinity, and David thanked his good sense to pack Amanda off with the Porter family for a day at the beach before he and Victoria left for court. "Like Ryan said, it's only the preliminary trial. It's simply to ensure Daniel's in the best environment temporarily while the divorce is drawn out. It isn't a reflection of you, or his eventual decision."

"Isn't it?" She snapped, the strain of the divorce and possible loss of Daniel had caused her temperament to resemble that of a rope strained to breaking point. "Conrad and Franklin have been friends for years. He oversaw one of Grayson Global's cases a couple years after Conrad become CEO and they've remained in contact. All Conrad has to do is click his fingers and Daniel will be in his custody."

David frowned, "Victoria, you need to calm down. Maybe we should approach this from another angle; maybe we shouldn't see Conrad as the enemy here." A sickened expression fell over her features, until Victoria reminded herself that David simply hadn't encountered the truly monstrous side to Conrad, as she had. "Maybe it's in Daniel's best interest to work with Conrad to find a sensible compromise, some way he can be equally divided between the two of you."

"Equally divided." She snarled, as she rubbed the back of her neck. "This is my son, not a mathematical equation. My marriage is over, David. It's not a business deal on Wall Street that's fallen through. If Conrad wins custody of Daniel, he'll put every idea possible into his head and, by the time Daniel's given the opportunity to voice his opinion, you may as well have Conrad on the stand." After nine years of unconditional love, day after day, it was incomprehensible that she would be reduced to minimal visitation with her son, simply because she ceased to care for Conrad. A shot of pain fizzled up her spine and Victoria rolled her shoulders back; so many years had passed since her pregnancy with Daniel, it almost felt like another lifetime but the memories soon flooded back, with every crave for food or painful position.

"Hey, dad." A blur of blonde appeared in the doorway, of which David or Victoria barely took any notice of. Each adult nodded their head and smiled to welcome her home but their attention strained when not one, but two, dark-haired boys followed her in. Jack Porter clumsily dropped his baseball kit beside the sofa and ran to the kitchen island with Amanda, who poured two glass of juice but the third glass remained empty as the other boy lingered in the doorway and looked longingly at Victoria. "Don't you want some juice, Daniel?" Amanda asked, as she wiped the residue from her around her lips. The little boy shook his head and lowered his eyes to the floor while Amanda noticed how much attention Daniel's presence in her home had received, and decided to fill the silence. "Daniel has a really cool water trampoline, dad. He let me and Jack play on it with him." A small smile flickered across Victoria's lips; it had been one of the many Christmas presents she had in store to surprise Daniel with and her son had longed for the summer to be able to finally make use of it. "Can I show you?" Amanda pleaded, as she pushed her plastic cup aside and started back out to the beach with her father's hand in hers.

Without a word, Jack raced out after them but Daniel remained in the doorway and Victoria smiled. "Hello, Daniel." The reminder of what a small world the Hampton's could be flooded back to her and Victoria's mind fizzled with excitement at the prospect of friendship between Daniel and Amanda. "I've missed you." She restrained herself, careful not to overbear him like she had before.

"I've missed you too." Daniel freely admitted, not so defiant anymore.

"Would you like a drink?" The juice had been left out upon the kitchen island, and Victoria's mind raced with concern. "It's a hot sun. You don't want to dehydrate in it. Did you put sun screen on?" Shortly after Daniel had been born, she had overheard Conrad's father advise him how a mother's mind never slept, and she had come to fully understand as much. The distance between mother and child made the worries all that much deeper.

"Yeah, Julie helped me put some on earlier before we came to the beach." A matriarchal figure hovered in the distance – Julie, from the child-minding service they had called only once or twice before since they disliked leaving Daniel without one of them present – and Victoria recoiled backward, disdainful of the replacement. The fact that Conrad hadn't rushed home after the court-date to see Daniel, instead returning to his offices in the city spoke volumes to the kind of lifestyle Daniel would be subjected to, should Conrad be awarded full custody of him. "Dad will be home soon, I should probably leave."

"Daniel…" Victoria deeply exhaled. "I saw your father today, in court. We were there to decide who you should live with, temporarily, while the divorce is dealt with. Did your father tell you that?" He nodded his head in confirmation, not happy to discuss the issue, as if unspoken issues weren't real. "And we all decided, it's best that you stay with your father. At least, for the rest of the summer and then we'll review the decision, and that's when you'll have the chance to say where, and who, you would like to live with." Her brow creased, "How do you feel about that?" The little boy fully turned back from the doorway, forced to engage in the conversation, and his mother pressed her lips into a thin line of concern. "Would you like to spend the summer with your father, Daniel?"

"Dad's fun to be with." He failed to add the word "sometimes" but they both knew it should have been included. "He's just busy with work."

She dared to ask the real question, "And, what about after the summer? Would you like to return to the city, with your father?" Daniel had always loved his home, his school and his friends; it started to dawn on Victoria just how much of a choice they would demand from Daniel, once they reached the custody trial. "He'll be just as busy at Grayson Global, if not more so, at summer's end."

"I know he will," Daniel concurred. "But I can't leave. What about when he isn't at work? Who will he have dinner with?" It was routine; every evening at 7pm, they had dinner as a family, and Conrad did his best to return home from work in time for it. She may never have considered it but, if Victoria left and stole Daniel away with her, only Conrad would be left to rattle around in their family home and Daniel hated to think of his father wallowing in such loneliness. "I still love you, mom, but I can't leave dad on his own. You have a whole new family of your own and, if I leave too, he'll have nobody." In just a split second, Daniel had shown more maturity than herself and Conrad joint together since their separation and Victoria didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "But dad says, no matter who I live with, I'll always be able to see the other parent at weekends and holidays. It won't feel the same but I can call you every day after school, so you'll still hear from me." Tears started to cloud her eyes and Daniel sorrowfully stared to his feet, as he silently reprimanded himself for the sadness he had caused in his mother once more. "I'm sorry I upset you before, I didn't mean what I said. Do you forgive me?"

Victoria tearfully nodded her head, knelt down and pulled Daniel close to her chest. Relief spread as Daniel's arms wrapped around her body just as hard, and an epiphany filled her brain. "You know I could never stay mad at you, Daniel." Their bodies separated and Victoria braved a smile for him. "I know how hard this must be for you and I'm sorry your father and I haven't made it easier on you." The earlier advice from David spoke to her and Victoria made a mental note to apologise for her brush-off. "We should come together for your best interest, not separate and think solely for ourselves. You're the most important person in both of our lives, Daniel, you know that, don't you?"

He smiled, "You both love me just as much, and neither wants to lose me to the other parent."

"I realise now, it's not a fair decision for you to have to make and I'm sorry we've been so selfish." Her hands rubbed his arms, a deep breath as she made a personal realisation. "I'll fix it, Daniel. You won't have to worry about anyone being alone." The child-minder looked ready to start an approach and Victoria stood. "You should make your way home. I'll call you tonight, sweetheart."

"Bye, mom." A half-wave came from Daniel's left arm and Daniel made his way over to Julie, who had huddled with David, Jack and Amanda. The cluster of people disbanded in different directions; Julie and Daniel headed to Grayson Manor while Jack and Amanda raced back to the shore and David strolled over to the beach-house with his hands in his pockets. Once he finally reached it, the smallest of changes seemed so evident in Victoria and David smiled, relieved to see a spark of happiness. "Well, this certainly looks hopeful. Daniel certainly seemed much more open. Did he say much to you?"

She nodded her head, "He certainly spoke a lot of sense." Before she could expand, she reached for the phone and dialled Ryan Huntley's number from the business card pinned to the refrigerator by a magnet David had collected in Paris. "Mr Huntley, it's Victoria Grayson. Is it possible to make an appointment with you tomorrow afternoon?" A frown filled David's forehead, unaware of why Victoria would need to meet with her lawyer so soon before the official custody trial. "There are a few amendments I would like to make with concern to the custody suit." The more Victoria spoke, the more intrigued David became and he longed for her to end the phone call, so he could question her actions. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

David frowned, as she replaced the phone onto its hook. "What's going on?"

"I've decided to drop the custody suit, and allow Daniel to live with Conrad. It's his decision." She bravely replied, as if it were the most simple decision to make in the world. David's eyes pursued her, even if he found himself too scared to push for an explanation. "Daniel needs security and stability, and I don't need any unnecessary stress. It's the best possible decision, for now, at least. You knew it from the start and you let me find it out for myself anyway." She smiled and kissed David softly on his lips, "Thank you for your patience."


	5. What Lies Ahead

**What Lies Ahead**

The final rays of sun dipped under the horizon, and Victoria waved sadly, as Conrad reversed his silver Porsche from David's driveway with Daniel beside him. Several weeks of their mutual compromise had passed; Daniel happily visited his mother until Conrad collected him on his route home from work, since Conrad hadn't deemed Daniel fully comfortable with David just yet and, though Daniel was only a half-mile up the road, Victoria missed him. In an odd way, she missed Conrad too. Their relationship may not have stemmed from the purest roots, and she was the first to voice just how sour it had become in recent years, but there had been a period in which they loved one another with a wild passion. She somehow suspected, she always would; the father of her son deserved as much. In fact, she could never justify her affair with David due to lack of love and affection from her husband; David had simply inspired her to become the best person she could, while her heart had slowly iced over with Conrad and the prospect of such a cold and darkened heart resembled the distant memory of her mother far too much.

At the other end of the porch, Sammy watched her with copper eyes of concern, which Victoria pretended not to notice as the puppy craved more than his fair share of human affection. She rolled her eyes; David and Amanda both adored the Labrador Retriever with a fever but Victoria didn't find herself particularly fond of him, and he tilted his head to the left, almost as if he knew it. Supposedly, they were best friend to man and able to read the emotions of a human without a word spoken, but Victoria found herself partial to cats. They were much more independent creatures, not unlike herself, and didn't venture into the unstable arena of trust. She tore her eyes away from the animal and stared out to the horizon but Sammy plodded over the wooden boards and rested his head softly on her knees. Her brain barely functioned her hands instinctive decision to stroke his head, and a small chuckle emerged from the open doors. Both sets of eyes flickered over to discover David with his arms folded across his chest. "I warned you, somehow he would find a way into your heart. Before you even realise it, he'll have you in the palm of his paws."

"Very funny," she playfully scowled.

He folded his arms across his chest and motioned to the unsettled dust in Conrad's wake. "Conrad was uncharacteristically cordial. Do you think, now he knows Daniel will stay with him, he'll make this whole process a little easier on everyone?" David sat beside Victoria and casually draped his arm around the back of the wooden seat. "You certainly don't need any more stress."

His hand lightly touched her back and Victoria curled her body into his. "You know Conrad, never one to back down. He probably still hasn't recovered from the shock of my decision to allow him custody of Daniel." She pursed her lips in deep contemplation, "Neither have I just yet." Her decision had been made with the best of intentions and appeared to be the only solution; only time would tell how Daniel truly felt about her decision to leave Grayson Manor without him. The school season would soon approach, and Conrad would inevitably leave for the city with Daniel, and Victoria would be left in the unknown as to when she would be able to see Daniel. They could only hope Conrad sustained his cordial nature and allowed ample visitation, if only for Daniel.

"Well, if you could tear your mind away from Daniel for just a second, Amanda has called a family meeting and has requested your attendance." Her eyebrow rose and a similar expression of amusement reflected onto David's face as the couple wondered what the bubbly blonde had up her sleeve. "Shall we?" He stretched out his arm and aided Victoria to her feet, and inside where Amanda patiently waited.

Both adults seated themselves opposite Amanda, who revelled in the nervous tension from both her father and Victoria. "A reliable source has informed me that the two of you have kept an extremely important secret from me for quite a few weeks. Do either one of you have a confession to make?" Her expectant expression and narrowed eyes caused an eerie concern from David and Victoria, both of whom were left speechless by the confrontation. "Am I really going to have a little brother or sister?" She misread the confusion etched upon their faces and her eyes widened, "You are having a baby, aren't you?"

Her father's response came in an awkward stutter of the words. "Yes, we are, but how did you know?"

Ever suspicious, Victoria leaned forward. "Who exactly was this reliable source of yours, Amanda?" She silently prayed that this wasn't the justification for Conrad's recent "cordial" nature.

"Daniel." Amanda promptly answered, without hesitation. "He said you and daddy would have a baby and we would both be an older and brother sister to the baby." As her father and Victoria processed the new information, Amanda scowled with a childish pout. "Did Daniel lie about the baby?" It wouldn't have been the first practical joke Daniel had played.

"No, Daniel didn't lie. Your father and I are simply surprised." Victoria finally felt comfortable enough to place a hand on her stomach, an action, like so many others, she had refrained from in Amanda's company for fear that it would raise suspicion. "We had planned to tell you ourselves but, unfortunately, life became a little hectic and we pushed it out of our minds. It isn't fair for Daniel to have known before you. I'm sorry, we should have told you. Can you find it in your heart to forgive us?"

"Only on one condition; please, pretty please can I have a sister?" Amanda pleaded, her hands clasped in prayer fashion.

Laughter filled the room and David clutched Victoria's hand in his, "We'll do our best, kiddo." Just over three months in, they hadn't been informed of the sex but David hoped to discover as soon as possible, in order to plan for the arrival of his second child. "Either way, I'm sure you'll love this little baby just as much as we already do and I have no doubt you'll make an excellent older sister once the baby comes, but it won't be for quite a few months yet." He shared an affectionate smile with Victoria, entrapped in the family moment, but snapped himself from it and leapt to his feet. "Now, you've had a very busy day and I can see you've trailed half the beach in here with you." His eyes picked out the clumps of sand stuck to certain floorboards, oddly shaped from Amanda's formerly wet footprints. "Go wash-up and you can help me with dinner in the kitchen." Just as David started preparations in the kitchen, the phone blared out and he called over to Victoria, on account of his wet and soapy hands. "Could you answer that?"

She reached over for the phone-set. "Hello."

Her face fell in pure annoyance as she received dead air as her sole response but, just before she could replace the phone onto the hook, muffled voices could be heard in the distance behind the fearful, unsteady breaths of a child. As Victoria strained her ears, a husky whimper filled the line and her heart almost stopped. "Mommy, I'm scared."

The cry for help indisputably came from Daniel and, after half a second of comprehension, her brain jumped to attention. "Daniel, are you alright?" The panic in her voice attracted David's attention, who abandoned his activities in the kitchen and shuffled closer as he dried his hands. "Daniel." The harsher her voice became, the more nervous she made David, who waved Amanda back upstairs as she bounded back down the stairs. "Daniel, what's wrong?" It seemed so out of character for Daniel to call, especially with such mystery as to why.

"The mean lady's here and she won't leave." His response failed to make any sense to Victoria, who squinted her eyes in confusion. Still, the muffled voices remained, surely unaware of the phone conversation Daniel had initiated, and the voices loudened in attempt to strike terror. She switched the phone to the other ear and pressed it close in a further attempt to listen close to the conversation. Her ears detected the dominant voice of a female and perhaps two other males but she couldn't be certain.

David inched closer to Victoria, who shrugged her shoulders in confusion, and heavily exhaled. "Daniel, can you put your father on the phone?" All the distance she had created between herself and Conrad would be shattered with just one phone call but, with the welfare of her son at risk, Victoria didn't have any choice but to engage in conversation. Footsteps could be heard as Daniel plodded from his position on the stairs and entered the room, which caused the conversation to cease as Daniel held out the phone for Conrad, his eyes lowered to his feet. At the other end, Victoria waited patiently as Conrad accepted the phone and she could hear the transformation to a heavier breath. "Conrad, it's Victoria. What's going on?" Her eyes shot over to David, filled with concern, as she awaited some kind of reassurance from her husband. It unnerved her when Conrad didn't instantly respond, nor did she sense the usual arrogance in him. "Daniel called me, he's worried."

Conrad warily read the eyes of Helen Crowley and her business acquaintances and cleared his throat. "It's just a little business, Victoria. Daniel has no reason to be concerned."

"Daniel mentioned a woman." Victoria suspiciously added, not entirely convinced with his explanation for Daniel's call.

An impatient tap from Helen's foot indicated her irritation and Conrad huffed, "I realise you're not as experienced in the field of divorce as myself, Victoria, so let me clarify the aftermath for you. The day you walked out on me and our son, you lost any control over who I may choose to spend my time with. So, why don't you refocus your attention on your new little family? Let me take care of my son."

Victoria rolled her eyes, with a small shake of her head. Reluctant to relay another confrontation with her soon-to-be ex-husband, she calmly ended the call. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, Conrad."

As Conrad lowered the phone, a small chuckle came from Helen Crowley's lips. "She certainly left you a bitter man, didn't she?" She tilted her head, "Don't worry, Conrad. We have plenty in store to keep your mind distracted from round two in the divorce court." Her eyes fell upon Daniel, who intensely surveyed the scene before him, before she stared back at Conrad with a smile of sick satisfaction spread across her lips. "We'll be in touch very soon." Once Helen had waltzed from Grayson Manor with her entrusted entourage close behind, Conrad let his relief be known. He clasped his hands at the back of his head and let out a breath of relief, as Daniel had unconsciously backed himself into the wall, traumatised by further instability since his mother had left. Despite his childish youth, Daniel was fully aware that Helen Crowley and her "friends" were far more than business associates, and surely Conrad knew better than to expect Daniel not to notice such.

His father suddenly noticed his weary eyes and forced a smile for Daniel's peace of mind. "Don't worry, Daniel. You have no reason to be scared, okay?" His assurance did little to ease Daniel of his worries, exampled in his tense shoulders which Conrad softly rubbed. "But, please, don't make another phone call to your mother like that. She doesn't need the strain, not with the baby she'll soon have to take care off. If you're ever scared, you know you can come to me and always trust me to keep you safe, Daniel." The little boy nodded his head and Conrad relaxed somewhat; while he didn't know what kind of scheme The Initiative had in mind, Victoria's interference would undoubtedly be most unwelcome and Conrad could only hope her suspicions hadn't been raised beyond the point of no return.


End file.
